Monday, January 30, 2012

Valentine's day is approaching! Instead of spending hours searching for allergy-friendly Valentine's candy for your loved ones, why not consider offering safer sweets withLucy’scookies? If you haven't had the pleasure of tasting them yet, Lucy’s cookies are delicious treats that are gluten-free, vegan, and made without milk, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts, but they taste like "regular" cookies! My favorite thing about Lucy's cookies (beside the great flavor) is the airy crunch; these cookies truly hold up beautifully when dunked in your beverage of choice.

There are seven different flavors of Lucy's cookies to choose from, including the new Chocolate, Maple Bliss and Ginger Snap varieties. I am happy to report that there are only 120 calories for three cookies, so you and your Valentine can ditch the guilt and enjoy these delectable treats together. My favorite flavor is the Chocolate, but I am also quite partial to the Maple Bliss... decisions, decisions. :-)

I feel good knowing that Lucy’s cookies aremade in a dedicated bakery where they use the best available testing methods to exclude specific allergens: gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.

Who is Lucy? "As an M.D. and mother of a child with severe food allergies, Dr. Lucy Gibney brings understanding and a first-hand knowledge of the importance of strict quality standards and how to achieve them. With clear ingredient and allergen information on our packaging and careful selection of all raw materials, we employ the very best methods for quality control."

When my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease I came to the realization that not only did her food need to be gluten free, so did our dog's food; there is just too much chance of cross contamination otherwise. I discovered that reading the long ingredient labels on dog food packaging and traveling to multiple stores to find gluten free dog food is time consuming and tedious.

Recently I discovered an online resource for gluten free dog food and treats called Mr. Chewy. Now I can order my pet products from home and they will conveniently be delivered right to my door. As a bonus, I can purchase other types of pet products that are heavy and cumbersome to tote around retail stores as well, such as cat litter.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

If you have never heard ofSwanson Health Products let me have the pleasure of introducing you; they are an online resource for over 3000 gluten free items, including supplements, personal care products and food items! Better yet they offer free standard shipping on orders of $65.00 or more, so if you like to stock up on gluten free items like I do this is a great perk. Swanson Health Products has been in business since 1969 and is "The realization of one man’s dream of bringing wellness to the world."

I find the Swanson Health Products website a cinch to navigate, especially because they have an easy to find link to their gluten free products in the left hand sidebar on their home page. I was impressed with the wide variety of gluten free products and had a difficult time choosing between all of the wonderful possibilities! Finally I decided to order 3 gluten free products from the brand Now Foods: Certified Organic Cocoa Powder, Organic Maple Syrup (16 ounces for only $10.13!), and Nutritional Yeast Flakes. I go through large amounts of Nutritional Yeast Flakes, as I use them to make dairy free "cheese" sauce for my daughter; I am pleased that the prices of the products are all below retail and the quality is excellent.

I recommend that you take a few minutes to explore the healthy gluten free possibilities awaiting you on the Swanson Health Products website; there are many treasures to be had and the awesome savings make it even better.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review. I received complimentary product for review purposes from the product company and/or their PR agency. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions I have expressed are solely my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Hi everyone... I am excited to share that my Mustard Thyme Potato Salad recipe was published in the newest Gooseberry Patch cookbook entitled 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches! I haven't received my copy yet, but based on the cover art (above) it appears that my recipe is also featured on the cover! Woo hoo!

I have been a loyal fan of all things Gooseberry Patch for over a decade and now I am a tiny piece of their history (I am feeling all warm and fuzzy inside right now). :)

If you purchase a copy of 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches be sure to leave a comment here and let me know how you liked the recipes!

Note: I can't say how many of the recipes inside are gluten free, with the exception of mine of course, but I would imagine the ones that aren't can be easily modified.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Many people who do not live a gluten free lifestyle think it is all about food choices. If it were only that simple! Most people with Celiac Disease believe that anything that has a chance of entering your mouth, even accidentally, should not contain gluten. Take skin and body care products for example; these products are on our face, bodies and hair; inevitably they are going to be ingested, even in small amounts whether we intend for them to or not. When you wash your face, the lather from the cleanser will most likely make contact with your lips. If you apply lotion on your body the residue left on your hands could enter your mouth if the two make contact. You get the picture!

Because my daughter has Celiac Disease, I seek out only gluten free skin and body care products for our family. I would hate for cross-contamination to occur via lotion residue on our hands transferring to food we prepare for her and several other {equally undesirable} scenarios. I have found a solution in Daisy Blue Naturals; they offer skin and body care products that are gluten free, all natural and affordable. An added plus is that Daisy Blue Naturals use essential oils from plants and flowers as well as a myriad of botanicals in their products. Essential oils not only smell lovely, they are therapeutic as well. This means you get natural, gluten free skin care that creates positive change in the skin... a triple win!

I had the opportunity to sample the Lavender Lotion and Lavender Soap from Daisy Blue Naturals; it is no secret to those who know me that I have an affinity for essential oils, especially lavender. The Daisy Blue Naturals Lavender Lotion makes me happy the minute I smell it due to the power of aromatherapy. Lavender is naturally soothing and healing... it instantly calms my busy mind and puts a smile on my face. I start my day with it after my morning shower and end my day with it before going to sleep. The texture of Daisy Blue lotion is silky but in no way greasy, it has a quick absorption time and slips easily over the skin with out pulling. The Daisy Blue Naturals Lavender Soap has the same dreamy scent as the lotion and a rich creamy lather; my skin feels soft and nourished after using it. My daughter with Celiac Disease loves the Daisy Blue Naturals lavender products as much as I do... we are both huge fans!

I think it is worth mentioning that I am a licensed Cosmetologist who has worked as a corporate product trainer for a major skin care company and I give Daisy Blue Naturals my "pure and effective seal of approval." These very special gluten free products are formulated and handmade by Daisy Blue Naturals. Yes, handmade. Neat, right?

Please note that there are a few products on the Daisy Blue website which have wheat germ oil listed in the ingredients; upon inquiry Daisy Blue informed me that all of the products are now gluten free. They are in the process of updating the ingredient listing on a few remaining products on their site to reflect this.

I highly recommend Daisy Blue Naturals; it is lovely, effective gluten free skin care that makes me happy every time I use it.

Daisy Blue Naturals is not sold in stores; order directly from the Daisy Blue website or click here, then scroll down to the contact form to find a Daisy blue Consultant in your area. A Daisy Blue home party is a great option if you want to earn free products! Exciting career opportunities as an Independent Consultant for Daisy Blue are also available.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was not compensated for this review. I received complimentary product for review purposes from the product company and/or their PR agency. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions I have expressed are solely my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Dear Readers,

I am not a physician or a dietician; the information contained in the whole of this web site should not replace any advice given to you by a medical professional. What I am is the Mother of a child with Celiac Disease, and I have learned to cook and bake delicious gluten free recipes for my family since her diagnoses. My goal is to share my recipes and knowledge with other gluten free individuals to enhance their eating experiences. I ALWAYS check labels and contact food companies to ensure the foods and ingredients I purchase for my household are gluten free. Ingredients in foods can (and do) change often and without warning, so it is crucial to check labels EACH time you buy. When I list ingredients in my recipes on this site I do not write "gluten free" after each and every ingredient listed, as this would be redundant. After all, this is a gluten free web site, so obviously all of the ingredients in my recipes need to be purchased gluten free. Although the ingredients that I list for each recipe CAN be purchased gluten free, it is up to you to read labels and make sure you are indeed purchasing a gluten free brand for each ingredient or product. For example: If I list "1 jar enchilada sauce", read the label to make sure it is gluten free because many sauces use wheat as a thickening agent. I know jarred enchilada sauce is available gluten free because I purchase it, but I did my research and found a gluten free brand. In addition please be aware that most of the ads displayed on this site are in keeping with a gluten free life style. However, occasionally products containing gluten are displayed. Those ads are automatically displayed by the blog sponsers, and I take no responsibility for them. Please use your owndiscretion concerning such products. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Now let's start cooking! :)

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